Busy Bees! Look After Yourself on the Inside

7th May 2018Mrs L Johnston

Hello Busy Bees – as you juggle all the balls of revision/work/life/family/friends etc etc… here are some tips to help you not just survive, but perhaps even to thrive! These simple ‘BEES’ practices will make all the difference…we promise!

Breathe

We breathe all of the time (obviously!) – but when did you last actually think about your breathing? Try this exercise, and focus on the oxygen flowing inside and around you to make you strong and give you energy. Breathe in for 5 counts…hold for 5 counts…breathe out for 5 counts. Do this 5 times and notice your heart rate slowing, your brain clearing & your focus returning. Do it at your desk, before the exam, even in the exam between questions.

Also try putting a ‘breath’ into your day – go for a walk, have a bath, sit outside…take time to be with the people who really care about the answer to the question ‘how are you?’

Eat

Just in the same way as we wouldn’t drive a car without fuel, or use our phones without charging them, we need to give our bodies the energy they need to work at their peak performance – especially in intense times. Eat regularly – plenty of protein (meat, beans…), slow-release carbohydrates (oats, nuts, brown rice), vegetables and fruit. Drink PLENTY of water (caffeinated drinks don’t help you here!) and steer well clear of ‘energy’ drinks – all the evidence points to them as causing loss of concentration and sleep – not what you need!

Exercise

Believe it or not your human body is a finely tuned piece of engineering – and it needs to be ‘worked’ in the right way. We are programmed to have a fight or flight response to everything – a hangover from when we were competing with Sabre-toothed tigers for prey!! As we respond to the stresses we face in this day & age (eg. exams rather than tigers!), biochemicals are released, which if not ‘burned off’ can cause anxiety, knots in our stomachs etc. Exercise helps our bodies to stay calm and handle stress better – taking a walk, going for a jog, swimming a few lengths or a half hour gym session will really help. Try and get 30 mins a day if you can.

Sleep

Quite simply you need to sleep! If possible, your bedroom should be your space to sleep and relax – and nothing else. Turning off your screens an hour before you sleep, keeping your phone in another room will MASSIVELY enhance your sleep. You might want to think about agreeing with others in whatsapp/messenger groups that you won’t contact each other after a certain time – and stick to it! If you find your brain ‘whirring’ when you lie down, write a list of what you want to remember for the next day. Aim to get a minimum of 8 hours a sleep each night – it will do wonders for what you will be doing the next day.

You can do this – and if you hit a tough day, remember BEES – Breathe, Eat, Exercise & Sleep. Don’t forget the support available to you in school – we are always here to help!

Contributors: Fiona Long (Post 16 Mentor) and Beth Rookwood (Sixth Form Chaplain)

World Class!

3rd May 2018Mrs L Johnston

We would like to congratulate Year 12 student Rory Leonard on his continued athletics success.

Over the Easter holiday, Rory competed in the ISF World Cross Country Championships in Paris. Representing Team England, Rory finished in 9th place, with his England Boys’ team finishing second overall.

The race was held underneath the iconic Eiffel tower and there were 39 countries represented. Rory was racing against more than 120 competitors in the boys race. A fantastic achievement.

Exam Information for Students and Parents/Carers

3rd May 2018Mrs L Johnston

External Examinations

Information for 6th Form Students, Parents and Carers 2019

Exam timetable

Once students have been issued with their candidate timetable they should read through this carefully to check that all entries have been made and are correct. If there are any problems, students should speak to their subject teacher as soon as possible.

On the day of the exam

Students should:
● report to the venue printed on their exam timetable 15 minutes before the start of the exam. ● be in Sixth Form dress code
● bring all required stationery in a transparent plastic bag or pencil case
● wait quietly outside the venue until they are called into the exam room by the invigilator. Students will be called into the room in candidate number order.
● follow the instructions of the invigilators at all times
● be silent at all times when in the exam room. If students have a query they should raise their hand and wait for an invigilator to come over
● ensure mobile phones and all internet enabled devices (including smart watches) are turned off and are in their bags
● remove their wrist watch and place it on their desk

 

Frequently asked questions

What happens if a student has more than one exam at the same time?
All students with a clash will have a cover sheet on their exam timetable detailing the arrangements. Usually one of the papers will be taken at a different time on the same day. The student will have to remain under supervision between the two papers. In rare cases it may be necessary for a paper to be done the next day and it is a requirement that the student is supervised overnight. This is essential to avoid compromising the integrity of the examination and would be organised well in advance.

If an exam is delayed from a morning to an afternoon session the student will be supervised over lunchtime. They should bring some revision or reading material, their lunch and a drink, as they will not be allowed to leave the room and buy lunch in the school canteen. They will not be able to use a mobile phone or communicate with any other students.

Where are exams held?
The main locations for written papers are the Lower School Hall, rooms X1 and X2, and the Gym. Venues and seat numbers are printed on students timetables so that they know well in advance of an exam where they should go. Students sit in candidate number order, as required by examination boards.

What time do exams start and finish?
Exam start times and durations are printed on students’ exam timetables. Students should report no later than 9.00am for morning examinations and 1.15pm for afternoon examinations. The length of examination papers varies and on some occasions may not finish until after 3.25 pm. Students and parent/carers should be aware of this and make appropriate arrangements for getting home. Students will not be allowed out of an exam early for any reason.

What happens if a student cannot find his/her place in the exam room?
The student should wait at the side of the exam room until an invigilator is available to help.

What should students bring to the examinations?
Students should bring at least 2 black biros, 2 writing pencils, a ruler, coloured pencils, eraser, any mathematical equipment etc. in a transparent plastic bag or pencil case. Non-transparent pencil cases will not be permitted in the examination room.

For exams where a calculator is permitted, students are responsible for making sure that their calculator meets regulations. Calculators must not:
• be designed or adapted to offer any of these facilities: language translators; symbolic algebra manipulation; symbolic differentiation or integration; communication with other machines or the internet
• be borrowed from another candidate during an examination for any reason
• have retrievable information stored in them – this includes: databanks; dictionaries; mathematical formulas; text.

Students are responsible for ensuring that they bring everything they need to the exam.

What should students not bring with them?
● Mobile phones, MP3/4 players, iwatches/smart watches and any internet enabled devices.
Possession of such items could lead to disqualification from the exam even if they are turned off.
● Tippex or correction pens. Students should cross through any work they do not wish to be marked. ● Notes, textbooks etc.
● Food or chewing gum

May students bring a drink?
Yes, however no more that 750 ml of still water may be brought in a screw top clear plastic bottle with all labels removed. No fizzy drinks, cans or pouches.

What standards of behaviour are expected during examinations?
All students are given a copy of a ‘notice to candidates’ produced by the examining bodies, which gives general guidelines for conduct, which must be observed. A copy is also available here: written exams

The school and the examination boards regard breaches of examination regulations very seriously. Parents / carers should please impress on your son/daughter the importance of good behaviour in an examination, as any activities that may disturb or upset other students will not be tolerated. The head of centre and exams officer have the power to remove disruptive students.

Students who try to communicate with other students inside the venue, or who create a disturbance in the examination room will be removed from the examination venue, and the circumstances will be reported to the examination board. This may result in the student not receiving a grade for the whole of that examination.

Furthermore students should not ‘doodle’ or write any additional/inappropriate comments on their exam paper. Exam papers that contain any ‘doodles’ or additional/inappropriate comments may not be marked by the exam board.

What if my son/daughter misses an exam?
Parents / carers may be asked to pay the entry fee where a student fails to attend an exam without good reason.

What do I do if my son/daughter is unwell at the time of one of the examinations?
Please telephone the school if your son/daughter will not be attending an examination or if he/she will be present but is unwell. It is often helpful for the invigilator to be aware that a candidate is not feeling well. For Lower School absence, please phone Mr Rose on 01670 515415 Option 1. For Sixth Form absence, please phone the Advanced Study Centre answer phone 01670 501520.

If the student will not be attending the exam they should go to the doctors, and get a letter to prove that they were unfit to sit the exam. If the student is unable, through illness, to sit a paper the board may, after examining the doctor’s letter and any evidence of performance on other papers, decide to award a grade. It is essential that you see your doctor on the day of the examination or previously. Retrospective information is not accepted by the examination boards and any doctors’ letters must be forwarded to the exams officer without delay, as there is a tight deadline.

If a student did sit an exam, but was unwell it is possible to request special consideration from the exam board on the grounds of illness. To do so we would need a letter from your doctor as evidence, this should be forwarded to the exams office as soon as possible after the exam.

What should I do if my son/daughter is going to be late?
A parent/carer, or the student themselves should phone the school immediately on realising that they may be late for an exam and ask for a message to be given to the exams officer. Parents/carers should take students mobile phone off them and ensure that they do not have any access to the internet or communicate with any other students sitting the exam. Parents/carers should supervise students until they report to a member of staff in the appropriate exam venue. Depending on the time the student arrives at the exam we may need a statement from the parent / carer to confirm that this procedure has been followed to send to the exam board.

Depending on how long the exam has been in progress, it may be possible for the student to be admitted. However, we are bound by examination board regulations on this matter. Normally students with a genuine reason and who are brought straight to the centre may be admitted within the first 30 minutes of the start time and will receive the full time allocation, after this time the board will decide whether to accept any paper sat.

Students who arrive after 10am for morning exams or 2:30pm for afternoon exams, or who arrive after the end of the exam will not be admitted.

What do students do if they finish early?
Students should use all of the available time on their exams and spend any time at the end carefully checking their answers. Students are not permitted to leave before the end of the exam. They must sit quietly at their desk so as not to disturb other candidates.

What do I need to do if a student has problems that may affect his/her examination performance? Any illness, or family circumstances, which may affect examination performance, arising shortly before or during the exams, should be notified as soon as possible to the exams officer so that an application for special consideration can be made to the exam boards.

When will the results be available?
AS and A Level results will be available on Thursday 16 August.
GCSE results will be available on Thursday 23 August.
Arrangements for collecting results will be given to students in due course. If a student is unable to collect their exam results they will be posted home. Any students who wish to have their results emailed to them should contact the exams office to request this. Results can only be emailed to students school email address and this will not be done until after 10am on results day.

What can I do if results are substantially different from what is anticipated?
There will be staff available in school on results days to advise students and inform them of the options available. If you are unhappy with a result it is possible to request a student’s exam paper back to look at their answers, or to request a remark of an exam paper. An outline of services available are shown below. Full details of this, and the associated costs, will be available to students on results day and on the school website.

 

When will I get my certificates?
Certificates are posted to students home address in December / January if students have paid for postage. It is the students responsibility to inform school of any change to their address. If students do not pay for postage then they must collect their certificates in person, bringing with them some photo ID. A note will be posted on the school website to notify students when certificates are available to collect.

If you have any other questions please feel free to contact the exams office by telephone on 01670 501522.

On exams days it is best to contact the main school reception on 01670 515415 and leave a message, with the nature of your query, since the main priority will be the starting of exam sessions on time.

Empowering Enrichment

27th March 2018Mrs L Johnston

As we hurtle towards the exam season students are steadfast in their approach to their studies; unrelenting in their determination to succeed. For us as staff, we being to reflect. This seems the perfect opportunity to look back on the Enrichment and Personal Development Programme. Primarily for Year 12 students, Year 13 are always welcome to attend and join in the sessions.

Since September we have developed and delivered an exclusive programme of enrichment; some sessions compulsory and others opt-in depending on student interest. Subjects, like Geography, have begun to use this time to support their curriculum development too! We cannot believe how fast the year has gone by and just how much we have packed in.

So far this year we have been supported by over 30 organisations to deliver our exclusive enrichment programme. The essence of the programme to to develop accomplished students and provide experiences beyond the classroom.

Highlights of the programme have been the Healthforce volunteers – you may have seen some of our students on the local news! Our Sixth Form have been instrumental in the success of this pioneering project, where we have worked in partnership with the local NHS trust. Our volunteers will have accrued over 100 hours of NHS, hospital-based work experience as a result of this project. Invaluable. A number of students have also used this time to secure ongoing, long-term work placements. The majority of these students are interested in education as a progression route and this has allowed them to build up their experience in a number of settings.

Our Wednesday afternoons have also been well supported by a number of Higher Education institutions. This has been through a mix of information giving sessions about the university and city location, subject specific sessions and skills sessions.

EPQ (Extended Project Qualification) goes from strength to strength with students relishing the opportunity to expand their curriculum – as a staff we are looking forward to seeing some interesting presentations! If you like social media, you may have seen the KEVIfood Instagram where our Year 12s made some delicious Malteaser cake recently. The ‘Cooking for Pleasure’ course is a big hit and students need to produce dishes on a budget.

Check out the key dates section for the upcoming Enrichment and Personal Development Programme and follow us on social media for updates.

Spotlight on… Sixth Form Sports Stars

27th March 2018Mrs L Johnston

Article by: Brodie Willis and Isobel Webb

Bobbie Griffiths

Upon finishing 1st in the UK for the under 17’s seniors (with a personal best of 42.27m) Bobbie Griffiths, javelin champion, is on her way to take part in an exclusive training programme during the Easter holidays.  This comes soon after Griffiths was chosen to compete at ‘English Schools,’ where the athlete came 9th, despite still struggling with a recent back as well as hip injury. The determination, as well as outstanding achievement, from such a young athlete is truly remarkable and we look forward to seeing what she will go on to achieve in time to come.

 

Rory Leonard

After only two and a half years of training in athletics, Rory Leonard is proving to be a phenomenal athlete. Constantly training and averaging up to 50 miles per week, there’s no wondering why Leonard finished at the top of the British Athletics cross country rankings. While it’s not just cross country Leonard seems to be striving in either. After coming 11th at English Schools 3000m track event, there seems to be no limit on the athletic talent of this young man.

But recently the largest success has come from Leonard’s cross country ability. After winning the British Cross Country Championships, which in itself is a massive and astounding achievement, Rory Leonard has been selected to run for England in the highly prestigious ISF World Schools Cross Country Championships. This event is being held in Paris from the 2nd to the 7th of April and is a great opportunity for Leonard. This honour is well deserved after the hard work and dedication this athlete has put into his craft. We wish Rory Leonard luck as he gets ready to participate in this Championship and for the bright future he has ahead.

Introducing…The Den: A Sanctuary in School

27th March 2018Mrs L Johnston

Working alongside staff and through conversation with (and IKEA handiwork of) students, we would like to introduce you to; The Den: A Sanctuary in School.

Life in school can be full. Life at home can be full. Our heads and our hearts are so often full of busy – and where do we go, what do we practice to ‘just be?’ The Den is one of those places.

At the back of the top floor of the Advanced Study Centre, a meeting room has been transformed. It is our hope and intention that The Den is a place to rest, reflect and to take a breath. It is a place to explore, question, ponder & wonder. A place to be stirred and equipped to live well in heart, mind, body & soul. It is a safe space where understanding of self may be nurtured, friendships deepened and where all are strengthened on the inside in order face the world boldly on the outside.

The Den is place of conversation, listening, debate, mindful thought and spiritual cultivation; a place for all…to be and to become.

Throughout the year, workshops and activities engaging with these themes of personal, spiritual and emotional growth will be available to yr 12 & yr 13 students. The support of the chaplain through listening, mentoring & coaching can be organised every week; just contact [email protected] The Den will also contain support literature designed to support students with positive mental and emotional health. The literature is produced by mental health charity Mind, and donations from the PTFA have allowed us to purchase the literature.   

 

Introducing our Sixth Form Chaplain

27th March 2018Mrs L Johnston

Hello! I’m Rev Beth Rookwood and I work in Morpeth as a Pioneer Minister in the Church of England. As a designated pioneer, my role is to explore faith and spirituality in communities beyond the walls of the established church – and I am loving becoming part of the KEVI community.

My role here is one of ‘chaplain,’ and I will be focusing on work in the 6th form. Chaplains are those who are commissioned to walk alongside a community, serving both in a pastoral capacity as well as to nurture spirituality. For a student community, chaplains often enable schools to fulfill the requirements of OFSTED to encourage the spiritual, moral, cultural and social development of their students.

Part of my role for the hours I am in school will be to offer one-to-one support to yr 12 &13 students through listening, mentoring & coaching, and the other part will be to develop the life of The Den – a space which we have set aside in the Advanced Learning Centre – see below for more details on this exciting resource for students.

If you would like to get in touch regarding my work here, please contact me, and do come and say hello – the kettle is always on! [email protected]

A Farewell from our Senior Students

27th March 2018Mrs L Johnston

It seems like yesterday that we were standing in various assemblies giving our speech to the whole school. An opportunity to share our vision for the year that followed. We focused on increasing the awareness of mental health in school. This led us to host a mental health workshop in which years 9, 10 , 11 got the afternoon off timetable to participate in team building and helping us draft a logo for mental health awareness in school.

As Senior Students, we also worked closely with the Peer Mentors (ran by Mrs Wilson-Head) to gain a deeper insight into mental health issues, which encouraged us to promote the school counsellors and introduce a gender-neutral toilet in the ASC. There will also be a gender-neutral toilet in the main school building from the Summer Term.  We genuinely believe we have acted upon our vision of increasing mental health awareness, shown through the thousands of pounds that the students and teachers have donated to charities like ‘Mind’ through non-uniform days. Mind have also agreed and have have future plans with the new Senior Students, to run a workshop with students.

Working in partnership with School Council, we have also worked closely with the catering staff to create a more accessible food menu. Introducing the ‘Vegan Meal of The Day” which allows students and teachers to maintain or introduce themselves to alternative food options. Alongside this we also made sure there was regular updates to the menu, prices on all of the food items and introduced a meal deal with the aim of students getting a balanced lunch at a reduced cost.

Although at first public speaking was daunting and being ambassadors for the school is a huge responsibility, all of us have thoroughly enjoyed every open evening, carol service, Commemoration evening, Edwardians meetings and Year/Executive School Council meetings. It can be said that with hard work and support we have achieved our vision that we shared at the start of our Senior Student journey.

WIth all of this in mind we would like to say a ‘Thank You’ to everyone who has helped and encouraged us in the process. It has been an unforgettable experience and we now hand over  to Luke, Lewis, Phoebe and Claudia to continue the vision!

Enrichment Student Leader

Layla, Christie, Jena, Tom

Where did Autumn Term Go?

9th February 2018Mrs K Shutler

Reflecting on the Autumn Term and some of the events and achievements of our students makes me extremely proud and excited to see what they can do next.

The vibrancy of the Sixth Form community and the energy, drive and infectious enthusiasm of the students make Sixth Form at King Edward’s a wonderful place to study and work.

The Autumn Term itself is intense in Sixth Form; we delight in welcoming our new Year 12 students and working with them in areas such as attainment, progress and personal development and guidance. For those Year 13 students who wish to pursue a Higher Education route there are the trials and tribulations of the UCAS process to work through. You can see the volume of applications that the team process in another article – this is no mean feat and we are now eagerly awaiting to hear about all of the offers students receive.

We have been working on our website and prospectus during the Autumn Term and we are delighted with the results. A huge thank you must go to the students, as it has been their feedback and willingness to support their Sixth Form that has made these projects so successful. We have also branched out into the world of Social Media; having Twitter, Facebook and Instagram pages. This is to keep students, past, present and future, parents and supporters of Sixth Form up to date with the many wonderful activities we’re engaged in.

Highlights in terms of events have been the NEW Leaders Conference we attended in association with Newcastle High School for Girls, University Taster Days and there have been various visits to Centre for Life, Newcastle Quayside and the theatre to name a few. More visits are planned for later on in the year too! There have been numerous musical events our Sixth Form have been involved in and that is always a pleasure to see and hear. Of course we have to mention our Post 16 Information Evening where we get to showcase our Sixth Form, or what is more appropriate to say is our students proudly showcase their Sixth Form and ask you to join them.

The Enrichment and Personal Development Programme continues to go from strength to strength. Students in Year 12 have had expert input on a range of health and wellbeing topics, as well as career and progression related information. Often there are two or three sessions students can attend on a Wednesday afternoon to enhance their Post 16 experience.

While the Autumn Term has been a whirlwind, we can look back and appreciate each and every accomplishment of our students. While our Sixth Form may be inclusive and wide ranging, the breadth of exclusive opportunities our students enjoy furthers their ambition and aspiration, at the core is relationships. We build our Sixth Form community together with our students and for our students.

We have lots to look forward to in the weeks ahead. No doubt there will be challenges but we can work through them together. The new furniture for the Mindfulness Den has been ordered and the coffee machine talks are ongoing. There will be the excitement of Senior Student elections in the first week after the holidays, we wish all of the new Senior Student candidates the best of luck.

I’m signing off feeling inspired.

Leanne Johnston
Assistant Headteacher

Key Dates

8th February 2018Mrs K Shutler